Latest Smart #2 EV nears production
As the electric city car continues to grow in popularity, Smart readies its latest EV
In a way, it’s easy to feel a bit sorry for Smart’s predicament. See it first made an electric city car, the ForTwo Electric Drive, as far back as 2009. Back when nobody really bought into the idea and were more enthusiastic (easy to understand why) about Brabus Smarts. Or Twingo 133s. Or Swift Sports. Or Abarth 500s. You get the idea.
There was no faulting the dedication, with the third gen ForTwo going EV only for five years from 2019, but you certainly wouldn’t be alone in hearing that fact for the first time. With that early foray having faltered, Geely-era Smart has been chasing sales of larger EVs from £30k-plus, all with their slightly odd hashtag names. Only now the electric city car is all the rage, or certainly it is judging by the amount that have been launched, from Twingo to Super N and Grande Panda to Inster. At around £20,000 and 200 miles of range, those after a new urban runaround are spoilt for choice right now.
It’s an environment ideally suited to the return of a properly titchy electric Smart, which will be called the #2. It was confirmed last year with a set of teaser pics that suggested this particular apple wasn’t going to fall far from the tree. These latest testing images have confirmed the fact; even in camo, even as an all new model, your next door neighbour with a T-Roc would be able to identify this as a Smart car. The dimensions, proportions, and light signatures all point only one way. If leaning into 90s heritage is good enough for the Twingo, then it’s more than good enough for Smart…
There’s nothing announced with this fresh batch of testing pics that will really come as a surprise, the focus understandably on making it capable enough to deal with any kind of road at any time. What’s more interesting is a focus on creating a ‘compact vehicle [that] can deliver an elevated, serene cabin experience.’ So there’s been a big focus on getting NVH down, tyre testing to get the best refinement and range compromise, plus plenty of impact tests to ensure it can shrug off the worst our urban environments can throw at it. Again, nothing unheard of as far as car development goes, but perhaps suggesting that the Smart will be a more mature small EV than the friskier alternatives like the Honda and Renault.
Smart suggests that the #2 is ‘highly anticipated by urban drivers across Europe’, who will get to see the finished item for the first time at the Paris show. By which time there’ll be another half a dozen alternatives, probably. And if existing electric Smarts had passed you by as well, what a time to be reminded: this 2024 car has fewer than 2,000 miles, and is £12k…
i.e. great for avoiding the tube/bus networks, normally very close to, if not right outside your house, however, live in one of a number of London boroughs where houses butt up to the pavement and you suddenly have the choice of running a charging lead out of a window and across a pavement or you are looking for somewhere else to charge.
I cannot see how we enable an EV future where many UK cities have a similar set of challenges for residents.
i.e. great for avoiding the tube/bus networks, normally very close to, if not right outside your house, however, live in one of a number of London boroughs where houses butt up to the pavement and you suddenly have the choice of running a charging lead out of a window and across a pavement or you are looking for somewhere else to charge.
I cannot see how we enable an EV future where many UK cities have a similar set of challenges for residents.
Sure, it's a roller skate but so is this Smart.
Sure, it's a roller skate but so is this Smart.
I know this clip and the cars in it are very old now but the same still applies:
i.e. great for avoiding the tube/bus networks, normally very close to, if not right outside your house, however, live in one of a number of London boroughs where houses butt up to the pavement and you suddenly have the choice of running a charging lead out of a window and across a pavement or you are looking for somewhere else to charge.
I cannot see how we enable an EV future where many UK cities have a similar set of challenges for residents.
That's not 15 hours a week. Or 15 hours a month. That's 15 hours a year.
That's not 15 hours a week. Or 15 hours a month. That's 15 hours a year.
So by 2nd Jan you're good to go for the whole year?
Excellent
That's not 15 hours a week. Or 15 hours a month. That's 15 hours a year.
So by 2nd Jan you're good to go for the whole year?
Excellent
Sure, it's a roller skate but so is this Smart.
That's not 15 hours a week. Or 15 hours a month. That's 15 hours a year.
What are you talking about?
That's not 15 hours a week. Or 15 hours a month. That's 15 hours a year.
What are you talking about?
Should this attitude spread (and it will) it won't matter how small, clean and city friendly cars become. Cities across the UK will find a way of labelling them the problem and further taxing or restricting their use.
So cars like this, while actually being a credible answer to city mobility especially when the weather is poor, might find there USP diminished.
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